Mandevilla plant named ‘Lanminnesota’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Lanminnesota’, characterized by its compact and bushy plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; glossy small dark green-colored leaves; early flowering habit; and bright red-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla sanderi.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LANMINNESOTA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla sanderi and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Lanminnesota’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Malause, France. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely branching Mandevilla plants with red-colored flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Malause, France on Sep. 22, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code number 05-018-1, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with Mandevilla sanderi ‘Dark’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Malause, France in May, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Malause, France, since May, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Lanminnesota’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Lanminnesota’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Compact and bushy plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Glossy small dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Early flowering habit.     -   5. Bright red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Mandevilla resist sun fading whereas plants of the female parent selection do not resist sun fading.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Dark’. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘Dark’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than plants of         ‘Dark’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Dark’.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Dark’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Dark’ have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants of selections of Mandevilla sanderi known to the Inventor, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Malause, France, plants of the new Mandevilla differed from plants of selections of Mandevilla sanderi known to the Inventor in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla were more freely branching than         plants of selections of Mandevilla sanderi known to the         Inventor.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla had smaller leaves than plants         of selections of Mandevilla sanderi known to the Inventor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Lanminnesota’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Lanminnesota’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the autumn in 15-cm containers in polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Malause, France and under cultural practices typical of Mandevilla commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 26° C. and night temperatures ranged from 3° C. to 15° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla sanderi ‘Lanminnesota’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             sanderi identified as code number 05-018-1, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Mandevilla sanderi ‘Dark’, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at 23° C. to             25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at 23° C.             to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five to             six weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six to             eight weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; light yellowish white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and bushy plant habit;             upright and somewhat outwardly spreading; broadly obovate in             shape; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 23.3 cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 29.5 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely             branching habit with about nine lateral branches developing             per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development.             Length: About 10.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode             length: About 1.7 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 144A; older stems, close to N199A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Obovate.         -   Apex.—Abruptly acute.         -   Base.—Truncate to obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker             than between N137A and 147A. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to N199B. Full expanded leaves, upper             surface: Between N137A and 147A; venation, close to 143A.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Between 137C and 146B;             venation, close to 145C.         -   Petiole length.—About 7 mm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 1.5 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arranged in axillary racemes; flowers star-shaped and face             upright and outwardly; about four flowers developing per             inflorescence and about 36 flowers developing per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit with plants             begin to flower about six weeks after planting; plants             flower continuously from summer into the autumn in France.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven days; flowers not             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faint, pleasant.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused and             five-parted. Diameter: About 7.9 cm. Depth (length): About             7.3 cm. Tube length: About 6 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Shape: Narrowly obovate. Color: Close to 145B; towards the             base, close to 145A.         -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a             single whorl and fused at the base. Petal length: About             10.8 cm. Petal width: About 3.3 cm. Petal shape and             appearance: Roughly spatulate; lower 55% of the petal is             fused. Petal apex: Bluntly acute. Petal margin: Entire.             Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface:             Darker than 53A, towards the base, close to 45C slightly             tinged with close to 60A; throat, close to 22A, towards the             apex of the throat, close to 62A and towards the base of the             throat, close to 145A. Petal, when opening, lower surface:             Close to 60A to 60B, towards the apex, spots, close to N155A             and towards the base, close to 61D; tube, close to 145A to             145B. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 53A,             tinged towards the apex with close to 61A and tinged towards             the base with between 45B and 46B; throat, close to 35B,             towards the apex of the throat, close to 62A and towards the             base of the throat, close to 145A. Petal, fully opened,             lower surface: Between 58A and 60C, towards the apex, spots,             close to N155A; tube, close to 58C and towards the base of             the tube, close to 145A to 145B.         -   Corona.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a             single whorl. Sepal length: About 1 cm. Sepal width: About             2 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Narrowly             acuminate. Sepal base: Roughly truncate. Sepal margin:             Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Sepal color: Immature, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 145B. Mature, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             145B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.             Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.             Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:             Typically five; basifixed; anthers connivent. Filament             length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther             length: About 1 cm. Anther color: Close to 162D. Pollen             amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity: Typically one.             Pistil length: About 2.8 cm. Style length: About 2.5 cm.             Style color: Close to 145A. Stigma shape: Conical. Stigma             color: Close to 146A to 146B. Ovary color: Close to 146B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Mandevilla. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not     been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Mandevilla plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been     observed to tolerate high temperatures of about 40° C. and to be     hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 9. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Lanminnesota’ as illustrated and described. 